Modification of the Epoxy Resin Mechanical and Thermal Properties with Silicon Acrylate and Montmorillonite Nanoparticles

Abstract

In this study we have investigated the effect of montmorillonite with alkyl quaternary ammonium salt that had been doped into the silicon acrylate (AC-Si)/ Epoxy Cresol Novolac (ECN)/ montmorillonite nano composites on structural, mechanical and thermal properties of composite samples. Moreover the effect of increase in weight percentages of fillers at 0.01, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.04 wt% on the amount of Impact and flexural strength had been investigated. Also impact and flexural strength were performed on two different systems namely (a) ECN filled nanoclay and (b) AC-Si ECN filled with nano montmorillonite as a function of clay respectively. By increase in the weight percentage of filler in the context of matrix up to the 0.03 wt%, the amount of flexural and impact strength were increased but by adding filler more that 0.03 wt%, the amount of flexural and impact strength will decrease. The resulting nanocomposites have optimal mechanical properties at 0.03 wt% montmorillonite content. Addition of The AC-Si will increase the interlamellar distance due to better dispersion of the clay within the matrix. Cross section of fracture surfaces that had been shown by SEM micrographs, specifies that, increase in viscosity had caused due to aggregation that is the main cause of fluctuation in samples properties. In addition the produced samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) differential scanning calorimetry, Thermal gravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and mechanical testing (impact and flexural).